‘Ike Wai: Securing Hawai‘i’s Water Future

Addressing challenges related to water availability and sustainability requires transformative interdisciplinary research

UHERO’s Project Environment will be leading the economic analysis for a $20 million project that was recently awarded by the National Science Foundation to the University of Hawai‘i. The five-year effort will address critical gaps in the understanding of Hawai‘i’s fresh water supply. ‘Ike Wai (knowledge of water) spans multiple scientific disciplines and connects university researchers to state and federal agencies, as well as community groups. Scientists on the research team will use new technology to measure the volume and interconnectivity of several groundwater aquifers throughout the State. The new geophysical data will reveal how much water is available to support both human uses and nearshore ecosystems, and consequently, the long term effects of current and projected demands on existing water resources. Since accessibility and utility of research results are important project objectives, community engagement is planned throughout the entire process. The hope is to not only produce transformative scientific research, but also to develop practical decision-making tools.